The Tennessee Volunteers managed to come out of their game against Georgia without a slew of new injuries to add to their growing list, although WR Radarious Jackson suffered an upper body injury that will keep him out for a bit.
But for the rest, where do things stand? That’s an answer we won’t get officially this week. Tennessee doesn’t face an SEC opponent this weekend, so there’s no mandatory report for injuries, or rather an “availability report” this week ahead of their matchup with UAB.
But,
of course, beyond Jackson and starting cornerbacks Jermod McCoy and Rickey Gibson III, who will all be out on Saturday, there are a few players that will be interesting to keep an eye on Saturday to see where things stand with them.
David Sanders, Jr.
The intrigue around the Vols’ much ballyhooed five-star freshman continues to grow as he missed the team’s third and biggest game of the season last weekend. Heupel has been coy about what the injury is, but he said on Monday that it’s something that they’re monitoring that isn’t as straightforward as a sprained ankle and that it’s a “unique injury” that has doctors uncertain.
It’s just that this is a terrific opportunity for Sanders to get some work this week if he can physically. Georgia would have been a tough situation for him to be thrown into for his first college game, and SEC play in full starts next week. This would be a great spot for him, so hopefully he can go and get a tune up before the real play begins again – if his body is able.
DL Jaxson Moi and Daevin Hobbs
It kind of felt like Moi wasn’t all that far off last week, but he was downgraded to doubtful on Friday. Heupel wasn’t committal to him this week (surprise, surprise), saying instead that he’s day-to-day. He says Hobbs is doing well in rehab and hopes to have him back “soon”, but reading the tea leaves, that doesn’t seem as soon as Moi’s day-to-day situation.
Either way, Tennessee clearly needs both back when they’re physically able, as the Vols’ defensive line rotation looked thin to the eyeball last week against Georgia.
DL Tyree Weathersby and RB Hunter Barnes
These were the only other two on the injury report last week, and Weathersby was cleared to play, and he logged 22 snaps against Georgia. Barnes was out last week, but Tennessee’s top three running back rotation is intact, so it’s not a big hit.
